Vivacious blonde MGM star of the 1940s and 50s, in light comedies, musicals and romances, with a likably hoarse, slightly flat voice and a wistful girl-next-door quality. After a successful career on Broadway, Allyson appeared in several shorts and then made her feature debut, recreating her peppy ingenue role in the film version of the 1941 Broadway musical, "Best Foot Forward" (1943). Usually cast as sweet and wholesomely girlish types, Allyson brought an occasionally tomboyish quality to roles in films including "Good News" (1947) and "Little Women" (1949). She made a popular romantic team with the boyishly disarming Van Johnson, with whom she co-starred in five films ranging from the musical "Two Girls and a Sailor" (1944) to the rather strange drama "High Barbaree" (1947) to the farce "The Bride Goes Wild" (1948). Allyson's charmingly froggy singing voice also enhanced the appeal of such comic songs as "Thou Swell" and "Cleopatterer."Allyson later matured into supportive wife roles in the 1950s ("The Stratton Story" 1949, "The Glenn Miller Story" 1954, "Strategic Air Command" 1955), switching gears once to play the shrewish wife in "The Shrike" (1955). When her film career petered out in the...

Vivacious blonde MGM star of the 1940s and 50s, in light comedies, musicals and romances, with a likably hoarse, slightly flat voice and a wistful girl-next-door quality. After a successful career on Broadway, Allyson appeared in several shorts and then made her feature debut, recreating her peppy ingenue role in the film version of the 1941 Broadway musical, "Best Foot Forward" (1943). Usually cast as sweet and wholesomely girlish types, Allyson brought an occasionally tomboyish quality to roles in films including "Good News" (1947) and "Little Women" (1949). She made a popular romantic team with the boyishly disarming Van Johnson, with whom she co-starred in five films ranging from the musical "Two Girls and a Sailor" (1944) to the rather strange drama "High Barbaree" (1947) to the farce "The Bride Goes Wild" (1948). Allyson's charmingly froggy singing voice also enhanced the appeal of such comic songs as "Thou Swell" and "Cleopatterer."

Allyson later matured into supportive wife roles in the 1950s ("The Stratton Story" 1949, "The Glenn Miller Story" 1954, "Strategic Air Command" 1955), switching gears once to play the shrewish wife in "The Shrike" (1955). When her film career petered out in the late 50s in ill-advised remakes of such 30s successes as "It Happened One Night" ("You Can't Run Away From It" 1956) and "My Man Godfrey" (1957), she turned to starring in a TV anthology drama, "The June Allyson Show," from 1959 to 1961. In later years Allyson did very occasional TV and film work and regularly made appearances in public and in the media to speak of the pleasures of the old Hollywood studio system (as in "That's Entertainment III" 1994). She was married to Dick Powell (with whom she co-starred in "Right Cross" and "The Reformer and the Redhead," both 1950) from 1945 until his death in 1963.

Was one of the hosts of the musical compilation documentary, "That's Entertainment III"

1937:

Appeared in Vitaphone short films; debut, "Swing For Sale"

:

Entered Amateur Night dance contests in the Bronx

1941:

Garnered attention in a prominent supporting role in the Broadway musical, "Best Foot Forward", choreographed by Gene Kelly

1990:

Last film acting role in ""Stranger in My House"

1972:

Returned to films in "They Only Kill Their Masters"

1946:

Starred in first dramatic film, "The Secret Heart"

1939:

Acted in the stage musical "Very Warm for May", directed by Vincente Minnelli

:

Began appearing opposite third husband in the stage play "My Daughter, Your Son"

1943:

First feature film as actress, "Best Foot Foward", recreating her stage role

1978:

Made one-shot return to films in "Blackout"

1984:

Signed long-term contract with Kimberly Clark to be a commercial spokesperson for the company's products Depends & Poise

1959:

Starred in the TV anthology series, "The June Allyson Show"

1938:

Worked in educational films

:

Danced in chorus line at Copacabana nightclub in NYC

1944:

Established as a star with the musical films, "Music for Millions" and "Two Girls and a Sailor", the latter her first opposite Van Johnson

:

Headlined the national tour of the stage musical "No, No Nanette" in the 1970s

1948:

Last appearance in a musical until the mid-1950s, near the end of her contract with MGM, "Words and Music", in which she was one of many guest stars; performed the song, "Thou Swell"; for the rest of her career, concentrated on comedies and dramas

1953:

Last of five films opposite Van Johnson, "Remains to Be Seen"

1955:

Made annual exhibitors poll, sponsored by the "Motion Picture Herald", of the top ten boxoffice stars; placed 9th

1959:

Played last feature starring role in "Stranger in My Arms"; was also last film for 13 years

1970:

Succeeded Julie Harris as star of the Broadway play "40 Carats"; first stage role in two decades

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Notes

There is an official Web site devoted to the actress at www.juneallyson.com

In 1988, Allyson was appointed by Ronald Reagan to the Council on Aging.